6th Post

In a recent article by the christian science monitor, found here, oil usage is discussed.  We all know that oil prices are pretty much one of the most talked about problems facing the United States today.  There have been many hypotheses as to how to alleviate this problem: make electric cars, quit buying oil from the middle east, or make cars that get better miles per gallon.  In the article, making cars much more fuel efficient is the focus of discussion.  If we could pass legislation that would require vehicles to have a minimum of 74 miles per gallon, we could see a reduction in the oil usage of light duty vehicles by 80%.  These vehicles "[consume] about half the oil that the US uses...".  Wondering what the cars might look like?  Well you most likely won't be driving that H2 hummer around anymore.  It might be internal combustion, electric, biofuel, hydrogen, or even natural gas powered.  It will be lightweight and most likely cost a few more thousand dollars more than what you would pay today.  Unfortunately, though these automobiles account for half of the oil used in the US, they represent only 17 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions.  Lowering these gas emissions by 80% looks to be a bit more challenging.  "An 80 percent reduction in LDV GHG emissions by 2050 may be technically achievable, but will be very difficult," according to a study by the National Research Council.  Given our recent boon in natural gas production, we might want to fuel our cars with it.  The NRC says that if we use gas as a fuel, though, we will definitely not be able to meet the 80 percent green house gas emissions standard.  Of course, these standards are set assuming that we will have breakthroughs in technology that lead to these options being viable.  With current technology, we would not be able to quite cut it.  The study finds that hydrogen fuel cells may be the most promising prospect. 
The article goes on to outline how we should reach these goals.  Not surprisingly, spending money on research and development is paramount.  There are other tactics that may work such as to: "offer rebates for high-mileage vehicles; impose taxes on low-mileage models; increase gasoline taxes or otherwise provide a floor price for gasoline so alternative fuels can compete."  Whatever we do, I think we can all agree that SOMETHING needs to be done.  Research and development of safer, cleaner running vehicles is a great place to start.  When we achieve those, then we can begin to take the next steps: always moving forward.

Mars Find Boosts Prospects For Life

In a recent article by The Sydney Morning Herald titled Mars find boosts prospects for life, the second rock from the sun is examined.  Our shuttle "Curiosity" has been mulling around the surface for some time now, and its finds have been increasingly interesting.  Scientists have always speculated that there used to be water on Mars, but now it is fairly clear.  Using its on board "laboratory", Curiosity drilled into some sedimentary rock and discovered many clay minerals: sulphur, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and carbon.  Okay that might not sound so interesting, but this means that Mars could potentially support life.  Not four legged dinosaurs or green spacemen to be sure, but microbes.  Microbes are extremely important though, as they are how life started on Earth.  As stated within the article, though, merely finding elements that have the potential to support life does not mean that evidence for life has been found.  It does show that water was involved though.  The water was also fairly neutral, and as vice president of Mars Society Australia Guy Murphy states: "I could have drunk a glass of that water and been fine."  These elements were found in a clay material under layers of rock.  This clay was not oxidized, meaning it could be a source of food for the organisms in question.  Scientists have long thought Mars capable of sustaining life, and the finds of the rover Curiosity are affirming these thoughts. The rover has collected important data in the past, as well.  Some of its first samples were of topsoil that is fairly ubiquitous across Mars.  It contained organic carbon molecules.  As Murphy states: "This new result is of an ancient rock tied to a specific location – and so gives us historical information the windblown sample could not."

Could Mars be the next home of human kind after we use up all our resources?  Because I mean come on, humans pretty much destroy everything we touch.  Short of us all becoming buddhist monks and respecting each other, I feel humans may be doomed.  If that is the case, maybe scoping out possible habitable planets is a good idea.  So my prognosis is THROW MORE MONEY AT NASA!

Chavez Gone: More Oil For Us?

In CNBC's article "With Huge Chavez gone, US oil industry eyes Venezuela", the idea of oil reserves is discussed.  Now if you don't know, Venezuela is a part of OPEC, or the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, and hosts one of the largest oil reserves on the planet.  Recently, Venezuela's commander in chief Hugo Chavez, whom the United States has had tenuous relations with at best, passed away.  That means, oil companies all over the USA are rubbing their hands together in hopes that the new administration will be slightly friendlier towards the USA.  Currently, Chavez's vice president Nicolas Maduro may run things until an election can be held.  "It's too soon to say what Hugo Chavez's death means for oil prices," said IHS vice chair Daniel Yergin.  While Chavez wasn't exactly copacetic with the United States, Chavez actually told his nation to vote for Maduro in the case that he could not rule -- so one would think that he too may harbor many of the same apprehensions as Chavez.  Companies such as ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil stand to benefit greatly, as they were forced to exit Venezuela when Chavez nationalized the oil reserves.  Unfortunately  for the oil companies, the state of their previous assets in Venezuela have deteriorated.  While not in squalor, electricity must be rationed in many areas.  Venezuela does not produce near as much as it is capable, which is most likely what Chavez intended.  Currently they produce 2.5 million barrels a day, whereas they could be producing as much as six to nine million barrels a day, and much of the refined oil is imported --  "...exports include shipping record supplies of US gasoline to Venezuela... oil exports to the U.S. are on the decline."  Venezuela ships 906,000 barrels of crude oil per day to the US, down from 1.3 million per day, so one can see why this could be an extremely lucrative venture for many in the oil industry.